This is a teaching done by my friend who is a marriage counselor,  Pastor Samuel Olagbenjo.
A message exclusively for soon-to-be married couples. Please read and get wisdom.

The wedding time is one of the most important points in a person’s lifetime, and everyone desires to have a great wedding.

The preparation for a wedding ceremony is not a uphill task if you know what it takes and follow the right principles.
Wedding is an official ceremony that signifies the commencement of a new home.
So you just got engaged and you’re thinking about how you’re going to plan your wedding. You’ve made the right move.
Here are 31 things to do when you and your partner have agreed to marry.

1. Pray: I and wife prayed and fasted every wednesday of the week while planning for our wedding. That made our wedding one of the best in the world.
So many don't pray while planning for their weddings. That's why the enemy take advantage of their joyful day.

Prayer is so important to the success of your wedding because it is a supernatural force that can ensure your efforts are successful. Pray as you make plans for your wedding. Pray about the wedding day, the officiating ministers, both families, weather condition of the proposed date, the photographers, videographer, their cameras and their equipments, the caterers and the meal to be cooked for the day. Pray against disappointment from any quarters. Pray and put your trust in God to supply your needs.

2. Attend Pre-marital Counseling. Don't think you know all about marriage. Go for pre-wedding counselling and make sure you complete your marriage class. Speak to a professional marriage counsellor, not just your pastors. Read at least 15 marriage books before your wedding day. You can even attend a marriage school.

Some of the courses you will be taught are: Christian Marriage, Forgiveness In Marriage, Adjustment in marriage, How To Relate With Your in-law, Sex in marriage, Understanding Your Spouse, Pregnancy, How To Train Your Children, Killers Of Marriage, Temperament in marriage, Gender differences in marriage, Romance, Finance in marriage and many more

3. Decide what sort of wedding you want to have and make up a budget. Some people spend all they have and even borrow to finance their wedding. It’s not advisable. Set a budget that you can fund without necessarily crossing a line. Then get to work with that.

4. Set up a planning team. That’s if you don’t prefer to hire a wedding planner. This team could comprise few of your close friends. You can brainstorm with them and they can go through all the pre-wedding stuff with you. You could really use their ideas and assistance.

5. Arrange to meet your partner’s parents and also for them to meet yours. You want to get to know your prospective in laws beforehand and you want your partner to get to know your people too.

6. Pick a wedding date. Once everyone has pitched in and the coast is clear, pick a date that you can work with.  It doesn’t have to be specific to a day at first. You could pick a month for the time being and start working toward that. Then later when things are shaping up you can set a specific date.

7. Start planning your guest list. Which people are you looking to invite for your wedding? It’s time to write some names and envisage what guests you’d like to see on your special day.

8. Start looking for venues for your ceremonies. Venues get booked up often. Make enquiries, look out on time and do a shortlist of the ones you intend to consider.

9. Shop for your wedding gown. You don’t want to leave this very important part of your big day to the last minute.

10. Envision how the wedding will look like. What will you serve the guests? What type of entertainment would you like at the event? Will it be a DJ or a band? Start figuring these things out and let your planning team weigh in on that too.

11. Link up with the professionals. Ask your friends to link you up with professionals you’ll need for your wedding including the caterers, MC, the photographers and so on. Then get in touch with those you think can do the job.

12. Start drawing up a list of expenses for the wedding. You’ve checked out the venue you want to use. You’ve spoken to the people you’ll be hiring to work at your wedding. Start piecing the costs together and look it over with your team and your partner.

13. Make your bookings. You want to book with the DJ, the MC, the band and any other people you intend to hire early. You also want to book the venue for the reception. The earlier you book with the people, the better.

14. Pick wears for the wedding. Figure out what styles and colours your people will be wearing.

15. Start planning your honeymoon. Get a nice hotel or travel out of the country for your honeymoon if you have the money. Don't be like a prayer warrior brother who took his wife to a prayer mountain after their wedding ceremony. So sad. That's not the time to kill demon.  That's the time to have beautiful sex and romance.

16. Purchase your wedding rings and your wedding bible.

17. Start shopping for the clothes you and your people will wear for the ceremonies.

18. Decide what type of wedding cake you’ll want and book with the designer who will make it.

19. Send out your invitations about two months ahead so your prospective guests have enough time to plan to attend.

20. Book your stylist and figure out what hairstyle you’ll rock on the big day. Also book a makeup artist and do some trials to test out stuff.

21. Apply for a marriage license. Check with the local registry.

22. Be in touch with your people. Ring your bridesmaids and groomsmen and make sure they know how things are coming along. Keep in touch with those who will be working at your wedding (caterers, MC and so on) and fine tune your arrangements with them.

23. Create a wedding program to hand out to guests.

24. Iron out reception plans with the caterer and the other professionals who will be on the ground at the reception.

25. Give ceremony venue managers a schedule of delivery and setup times plus contact numbers so that everyone’s on the same page.

26. Make sure you’ve paid those you hired before the wedding.

27. Present parents and each other with gifts.

28. Introduce your venue manager to your best man or maid of honour for questions or problems during the reception.

29. Assign a friend or relative to be the photographer’s contact so he knows who is who.

30. Remember to thank friends, family and workers who helped to make your wedding succeed.

31. Enjoy A Happy Married Life.